While there is currently no known cure for malignant mesothelioma, treatments are available with the most common being surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The role of surgery in the management of malignant pleural mesothelioma cannot be precisely defined. A worker in a Spanish city of Lezo, who worked with asbestos forty years ago, dies of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma raising concerns of how dangerous asbestos can be for health. Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a deadly disease that occurs in 2000 to 3000 people each year in the United States.
Studies of pleural mesothelioma patients show that important prognostic factors include stage of cancer, age, and histology. Studies have shown the median survival of patients with malignant pleural disease is 16 months. Owing to worldwide use of asbestos during the past century, the global incidence of mesothelioma is still increasing.
